Weigh the Possibilities: 3 Quick Experiments Using Scales and Balances

Want a fun activity that really measures up? Scales and balances seem simple, but there are many different ways to take them to the next level. Plus, you can show your students that measurements are the foundation of any good science experiment, whether in chemistry, biology, or physics. Here are 3 activities your students can use to familiarize themselves with scales and balances. Happy weighing!

Sugar Weight

Ever wonder how much sugar is in your favorite sweet treat? Is fruit juice healthier than soda? Use scales and balances to find out!

This activity introduces students to basic weighing techniques, conversion calculations, and nutritional concepts using their favorite sweets, candy, and beverages.

How do our bodies absorb the food that we eat? Find out in this experiment with the help of a caterpillar friend.

Your students can use a balance to record and analyze data over time and draw conclusions as they observe the weight changes in a caterpillar that has ingested food. Connect your conclusions to lessons on sustainable foods in the human diet – which foods are more sustainable, and which are less?

Cool Feature Alert: The Ohaus Scout STX balance has a Dynamic/Animal Weighing Mode, a unique feature used to stabilize live specimens that move.

If your balance has this setting, don’t forget to use it to get accurate weight measurements on wiggly live materials.

How do particles behave differently in each state of matter: solid, liquid, and gas? Use your balance, a beaker, and simple chemicals to demonstrate how weight measurements help students understand that gas has mass.

Know any other cool experiments or lessons using scales and balances? We’d love to hear them. DM us @WardsScience on Twitter and Instagram, or @WardSci on Facebook.

As always, if you have any questions about activities or anything else, just ask the Ward’s Science Plus Us team at ​sciencehelp@vwr.com​. Our in-house scientists and technicians are ready to answer even the toughest inquiries.